Day 3: Most Disputes Die and No one Shoots

For the first time in my memory, there was no arguing and fighting at our family Christmas gathering. It was relaxing AF.

It was amazing. Everyone met at my mother’s house around 12:30. She made it clear that we were having Christmas Brunch instead of Dinner. Maybe all the quiche made people less confrontational. All the kids opened gifts and ran around. The uncles drank and laughed with each other peacefully. Most of the mothers milled around in the kitchen and nobody raised their voice outside of laughter. I didn’t even realize that I had a wonderful time until my husband and I were talking after we got home. It was unprecedented.

Maybe we were all feeling the need for peace this year. Maybe none of us had any pettiness left in us after the election. We are on the verge of a *rump presidency and there isn’t a day that goes by that doesn’t carry an undercurrent of uncertainty. Times are scary for black folks out here. There’s a chance we may not all make it to the next holiday gathering. Someone could move away, get arrested or worse.